3 Weaknesses Patriots Should Address in the Offseason

After a disappointing 40-7 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Chargers this Saturday, the New England Patriots are 3-13. If they lose in week 18 to the Buffalo Bills, they will have the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

In this scenario, the Patriots will have the opportunity to take a blue-chip talent in the University of Colorado’s Travis Hunter or the chance to gauge interest for the pick and trade down in the draft for future assets. Regardless, it is clear that the team needs a lot of help heading into the 2025 season.  Here are the three most pressing ones:

1. Offensive Line

The best way to build a football team on both sides of the ball is inside-out, and if you don’t have a good offensive line you’re not going to have a very good season offensively. Coming into the 2024 season, the Patriots had to strengthen their offensive line, and Executive Vice President of Player Personnel, Eliot Wolf did not do a whole lot to address the issue.

The few notable moves that Wolf did make were signing former Steelers tackle, Chukwuma Okorafor, and selecting tackle Caedan Wallace and guard Layden Robinson in this past year's draft. An interesting tidbit is that none of these players started for the Patriots offensive line this past Saturday. 

If Wolf still has the position after the season, there will be a few options that he can choose from in the draft (Will Campbell from LSU and Kelvin Banks from Texas) or free agency (Trey Smith from the Chiefs and Ronnie Stanley from the Baltimore Ravens). Acquiring one or more of these offensive linemen would help keep quarterback Drake Maye upright and would be a great start to improving the team’s offense next season.

2. Wide Receiver

After protecting the franchise quarterback, the next priority for Eliot Wolf should be to get Drake Maye some receivers to throw to. While during this past offseason, the team was rumored to be interested in number-one wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk, the team ultimately pivoted to K.J. Osborn who had been a number-three receiver his whole career with the Minnesota Vikings.

Osborn also was not able to suit up for the Patriots on Saturday because he was cut from the team after the Week 13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Patriots were not successful in drafting wide receivers this year either, as both of their selections (Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker) have struggled mightily or not seen the field.  This upcoming offseason, the team needs to add top-end talent to its wide receiver room and one player who they are reportedly interested in is Tee Higgins, who has been the 1B to Ja'Marr Chase’s 1A on the Cincinnati Bengals.

"The Patriots are going to be all-in on Tee Higgins. They've shown an interest in established receivers, and Higgins is the best free agent. I expect them to offer him the moon. The question is whether he says yes or no."

- Chad Graff, The Athletic

If the team misses out on Higgins there are other receivers who may become available via free agency (Chris Godwin and Amari Cooper). While there are wide receivers in this upcoming draft, given Eliot Wolf’s recent receiver selections, I think the team’s best avenue to acquire a wide receiver is to pay an established veteran in free agency.

3. Pass Rush

Another need for the Patriots on the other side of the football is the defensive end. After trading away their best pass rusher, Matthew Judon, at the start of the season, the team has struggled mightily to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

"According to NextGen Stats, the Patriots rank 30th in team pressure rate (28.6%) and have the fewest sacks generated by a four-man pass rush (14). Furthermore, they've plummeted in unblocked pressure rate, or the scheme's ability to create free runners. In their last season under Belichick, the Pats generated unblocked pressures at the highest rate in the NFL (9.8%). This season, that number has almost been cut in half to 5.8% (24th in the NFL)"

- Evan Lazar, Patriots.com

This season the Patriots have missed several key defensive players, most notably Christian Barmore, Ja’Whaun Bentley, and Jabrill Peppers. While having all three players for the entire season would have helped these numbers, it’s clear that Eliot Wolf needs to add a premier pass rusher to the team. If he chooses to add one in free agency, two former Eagles, Josh Sweat, and Haasan Reddick, headline those looking for a new contract.

If the Patriots want to add one in the draft, they could look to trade down to draft Abdul Carter from Penn State or Mykel Williams from Georgia.

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